4 Best Hotels in Little Cayman, Cayman Islands

Little Cayman's first resort was founded in the 1950s as a private fishing club by the CEO of Sears-Roebuck and the CFO of General Motors, and its focus is still on fishing and diving in a barefoot luxury environment. The adventure and casually elegant motifs are struck in the semi-open lobby with African masks, trophy game fish, hand-painted cabinets, and a magnificent indoor-outdoor bar. Psychedelically hued duplex cottages sit on Little Cayman's most spectacular white-sand beach, with views of the uninhabited Owen Island and romantic private outdoor showers. Rooms feature a monochrome color scheme enlivened by vivid throw pillows and local art, bamboo accents, and hardwood furniture, including several four-poster beds. Some have separate living rooms and indoor-outdoor showers; the newest incorporate ecologically sound aspects such as gray-watered gardens and solar-heated water. Dive services are superb—set your gear up once and the rest is done for you during your stay. Creative mixologists hold sway at the delightful bar, and the food is exceptional, served in various venues, including an air-conditioned split-level dining room with panoramic views. The resort is Green Globe certified.

These ultramodern, luxurious, three-bedroom condos are Little Cayman's nicest units, though only five are usually included in the rental pool. Each comes fully equipped, from kitchen to bedroom, with Italian marble, Turkish tiles, etched-glass doors, elegant accents such as arches and crown moldings, state-of-the-art gadgetry from rainfall showerheads to flat-screen TVs, upscale furnishings such as four-poster beds, and patios or balconies with scintillating water views. The complex has an outdoor pool with waterfall and Jacuzzi along the beachfront, as well as a dock with inviting hammocks. Guests can use the amenities and sign up for a meal plan at Little Cayman Beach Resort, under the same ownership, which is about a five-minute walk from The Club. Some residences can be locked off into one- and two-bedroom units.

This two-story hotel, the island's largest, offers modern facilities in a boutique setting. The stylishly contemporary rooms include flat-screen TVs, curved shower rods, malachite-and-marble accents, and carved Honduran hardwood furnishings. They overlook either the pool area or the ocean (the latter are quieter, especially the 300 block, farthest from the occasionally raucous Beach Nuts Bar, where divers congregate). A full-service spa offers massages using mostly marine-based ingredients, as well as hair and nail treatments. Surprisingly good meals are generally served buffet-style in a handsomely renovated dining room. Diving packages represent excellent value. The resort is gradually upgrading various areas, experimenting with ecofriendly practices such as using green chemicals, and planning an expansion. But island warmth remains: the children of beloved Bracker Linton "Mr. T" Tibbetts—an inspiring self-made millionaire who was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for his passionate efforts to promote tourism while preserving Caymanian heritage—still have a hand in management.

Cozy, sunny, one-bedroom units with beachfront terraces and hammocks are simply but immaculately appointed with rattan furnishings, marine artwork, painted driftwood, and bright abstract fabrics. Stylish contemporary touches include flat-screen TVs. If you tire of cooking in the well-equipped kitchen, fine island-style food (not to mention the island's only real bar) is steps away at the nutty, nautically themed Hungry Iguana (affectionately dubbed "The Iggy") restaurant. Conch Club Divers provides transfers and offers good service despite being off-site; room/dive packages are a sensational value.